I Won't Say It
by DJ Rose
Summary: The Secret Service beefs up the protection on the White House Staff following the shooting at Rosslyn...using an elite team of military personnel. Emotions flare has two people unintentionally reunite, and put to the test as relationships grow.
1. Pieces Set in Motion

DISCLAIMER: The characters from the series belong to Aaron Sorkin. Andree (pronounced On-dray-uh) McCallister and Jarem Cavanaugh are of my own creation.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: More or less the only thing I do when I can't sleep is think. Usually it pertains to whatever it is I was doing before going to bed. In this case I had just watched "Noel" and started to think of alternate storylines. My version starts after "In the Shadow of Two Gunmen". This is what I came up with.

Silver flecks.

That's all Josh could come up with to describe the spackled ceiling above his head. It had been over two weeks since his return home from the hospital and he had spent what seemed like every second of that time lying in bed. The doctors had been very insistent that he get an ample amount of bed rest. Donna, it seemed, was in cahoots with the doctors. She would stop by once a day to bring his mail and update him on what was going on at the White House.

'She leaves out all the good stuff…' he thought to himself. That had, in fact, been very true. Josh's assistant deliberately left out the seemingly stressful facts about the day to day routine in the West Wing, a point the surgeon emphasized upon his release.

It was maddening just lying there and doing absolutely nothing. Especially on a day like this where the only sounds came from the TV and the rain beating against the window. Donna had come and gone, not reporting anything of substance. So here he was, doing nothing and being utterly bored.

"J!" Lieutenant Colonel Andree McCallister hollered down the corridor as she walked from her office. Her Navy counterpart, Lieutenant Commander Jarem Cavanaugh, stepped up behind the woman, tapping her on the shoulder.

"For crying out loud, Jarem! Don't do that…" she set him with a stern glare, placing her hands on her hips.

"I apologize, but I couldn't help it. You should have seen the look on your face." Jarem's soft grey eyes lit up as he smiled. A look that kept Andree from being mad at him.

"We don't have time for antics right now. The director just called, he wants to see us in his office pronto. He has a new assignment for the team." She closed the door to her office, locked it, and then began heading down the corridor again. Cavanaugh was right on her heels after the information had sunk in.

"We just got off an assignment yesterday, now he wants us to leave again?" The question went unanswered as they made their way to the other side of the building. The two colleagues walked in silence, a fact not gone unnoticed by those they passed. In an every day routine Andree and Jarem would be talking animatedly about anything and everything. It was only now, just before a mission, when they became quiet and withdrawn. It was their ways of concentrating.

Two Weeks Later 

_Rap. Rap. Rap._

"Sam, I think there's a bird outside my window…"

_Rap. Rap. Rap._

"It's getting a little old now…"

_RAP. RAP. RAP._

"Josh! Open the door!"

"Wha?" Josh sat up bolt right, a confused look on his face. He had been dreaming he was back in the hospital. There was a bird or something making noise outside the window. Or was it real? Either way, something had woken him up.

"Joshua Lyman I swear if you don't open this door right now…" the voice of CJ Cregg came loud and clear into the apartment.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Josh cut her off, slowly pushing himself up off the couch. It had only been a week since he was able to move around and he was still sore and stiff from being laid up for so long.

Getting to the door, Josh unlocked it and pulled it open, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes he squinted in the bright lights of the hallway, "Man, you are one funny looking bird."

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing." He moved to the side a bit and made an over exaggerated gesture ushering her into the room, "Come on in."

"Thanks." CJ eyed him warily as she stepped through the door and made a beeline for the kitchen. Pulling out a chair she set a couple of boxes down on the table and opened them up.

"So how are you feeling?" she grabbed a stack of napkins from the center of the table.

"Like death on a triscuit." Josh hobbled into the kitchen and took the chair across from CJ. He watched as one of the Styrofoam boxes was placed in front of him as well as a generous amount of napkins and some utensils.

"Well, that's an improvement from yesterday." CJ smiled and dug into her salad. The two sat there in silence for a moment.

"So what's been going on in the White House?"

"Josh."

"What? I'm just curious."

"You know what the doctor said about stress."

"CJ, I'm fine. I think I can handle things a little better now." His voice rose slightly with those last few words.

"So you think…"

"I think? What I think is that I'm the best judge of what I can handle and what I can't handle and…" he was cut off by a small high-pitched sound. CJ's beeper was going off. Pulling it from where it rested on her hip, she read the message and sighed.

"They need me back at the White House." Without another word, she stood up and headed for the door.

"Enjoy your lunch." The door slammed shut behind her and the room became quiet.

Tossing his fork into the box, Josh pushed away from the table and sighed. He was growing increasingly agitated with each day. In a matter of weeks he had managed to alienate just about every one of his friends. It was maddening being locked up in this apartment day in and day out. Josh longed to get back to work and back to a normal life. To the life he had before Rosslyn.

Andree shifted from one foot the other and looked at her watch for the second time that minute. Jarem as well as half a dozen other military officers were gathered outside the Oval Office. The team had gone through two weeks of briefings on the situation as well as each "charge." Those briefings were accompanied by several meetings with the White House Secret Service. This was to be their introduction to the people who they'd be looking after.

Without warning the door to the Oval Office opened and Director Steven Sloan stepped into the outer office. He spoke no words, just motioned for McCallister to come in. Straightening her uniform, she cast a backward glance at Cavanaugh, who nodded, and then followed Sloan in to see the President. Andree waited just inside the door as the director approached the desk where President Bartlet sat. The New Hampshire native looked up over his glasses to see there was another person present, and stood from his chair.

"Mr. President, I'd like to introduce you to Lt. Colonel Andree McCallister, United States Marine Corps." Sloan nodded in her direction and she stepped forward, taking the President's offered hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. President." She shook his hand and then stepped back.

Bartlet pulled his glasses off, folded them up and placed them into his front pocket. Taking a deep breath he went into a series of questions directed to both the director and Lt Colonel. Another fifteen minutes went by before the rest of the team was brought in. The President, in all his attention to detail, found the number of agents present to not fit what he had been told.

"If you don't mind me asking, Mr. Sloan, there are eight members of your team." He had taken his glasses out again to read a document and was now waving them around in the air.

"Yes, sir."

"If I'm not mistaken, you are only taking on 7 charges, as you call them. Am I correct?"

"Yes, Mr. President."

"I'm a bit confused."

"I apologize Mr. President, let me introduce you to my team and hopefully that will clear things up."

"I do hope so." The President again placed his glasses in his front pocket and folded his hands in front of him, waiting for Director Sloan to begin. The others were quickly brought in.

Turning to the seven other people there, he introduced them to the Commander in Chief, "From the Navy we have Lieutenant Commander Jarem Cavanaugh, the second in command and Lieutenant Commander Samuel Stone. From the Army this is Captain Marcus Piefe. Also from the Marines is Gunnery Sergeant Michael Sols. This is Major Andrew Jones of the Air Force. Lieutenant Sean Sanders of the National Guard, and this is our go-to guy Lieutenant Bart Mau of the Coast Guard." Each man shook the President's hand as offered and stepped back in line.

"So your eighth man is for support?" Sloan nodded. Bartlet mimicked the motion as a moment of understanding crossed over his face. "Very well then. Let's get the rest of the gang in here. Mrs. Landingham!"

The President's secretary opened the door after a beat and stepped inside, "Yes sir?"

"Get my senior staff in here pronto." He said this while walking back behind the massive desk.

"Yes Mr. President." With that she exited the room.

Minutes later the senior staff of the White House had gathered in the Oval Office. Some were seated, some standing, but all of them were eying the group of military personnel standing on the other side of the room. Once everyone had become comfortable and the doors were closed, President Bartlet walked back out from behind his desk and leaned against the front.

"I bet you're all wondering what you're doing here right now." He began.

"To be honest, Mr. President, the thought had crossed my mind." Toby looked at the President from the corner of his eye all the while still staring at the nine non White House staff.

Without missing a beat, Bartlet continued, "This is Director Sloan and his team. The Secret Service thought it best that they up the protection after the incident in Rosslyn."

"With all due respect, sir, that was months ago. Why start beefing up security now? And why bring in the military?" this time the voice belonged to CJ.

"Well, I think that would best be explained by the Director." He turned to Sloan, "Go ahead."

"Thank you Mr. President." Steve Sloan stepped forward just in front of the group there.

"Just to clarify a few things, I am not a member of the Armed Forces. I am what you would call a liaison between the Secret Service and the military. My official capacity is that of director of an elite team comprised of these eight officers here. They are the most highly trained people in the military today and their knowledge heavily outweighs that of the Secret Service. What's going to happen now is that you will each be assigned your own personal protection. Once I've given you the name of the officer assigned to you, you will meet with them and they will inform you of their mission." At that time a number of the staffers began to speak but Sloan stopped them by raising his hand.

"I understand you have questions but I would appreciate it if you would save them for your one-on-ones with the officers." At that time he pulled a list from his pocket and began reading off names.

"Mr. McGarry, you have been assigned to Lt. Commander Stone." The Naval officer stepped forward, shaking hands with the Chief of Staff.

"Sir, if you would mind stepping into your office we can get started." Leo merely nodded and led the way to the hallway that joined his office to the President's.

"Mr. Ziegler," Toby stood, "you have been assigned to Sergeant Sols." The Marine stepped forward much in the same manner as Stone and they left, "Mr. Seaborn you have been assigned to Major Jones." They stood and left, "and Ms. Cregg you are with Lt. Sanders." Once the final two had left, Sloan turned back to the President and the four remaining officers.

"Mr. President, with your permission I would like to send Captain Piefe and Colonel McCallister to meet up with the other two charges." He placed the list back into his pocket as he said this.

"Very well. If you don't mind, who have they been assigned to?" The President crossed his arms in front of himself and looked at Sloan.

"Vice President Hoynes and the Deputy Chief of Staff, Joshua Lyman respectively, sir. A meeting has already been set up for Captain Piefe and Colonel McCallister will be leaving shortly for Mr. Lyman's residence."

"I see. And which of your agents was lucky enough to draw my number." He glanced over at the other two officers.

"Lt. Commander Cavanaugh, sir." Jarem stepped forward.

"Uh-huh." Bartlet looked at Cavanaugh with a blank expression.

"If there is nothing else Mr. President I will leave you to speak with the Commander." The Director placed his hands at his sides and waited.

"You can leave. Let me know when everyone is finished. Though I'm fully confident in your team's ability to explain things, I'm almost positive my senior staff is going to have questions for me. I'd like to meet with them when they're done." He sat down behind the desk and pulled out his glasses once again.

"As you wish, sir. Good day Mr. President." Sloan turned on his heel, followed by Andree, Captain Piefe, and Lt Mau. Once outside the office, Steve pulled Andree aside letting the other two pass them.

"Now Andy, I don't have to remind you of the sensitivity of your case." The two stopped in the hallway outside the Roosevelt Room.

"Director, I'm fully aware of the factors involved here. I don't intend to bog down Mr. Lyman with more information then he can handle right now." She looked Sloan square in the eye, reassuring him that she had things under control.

"I hope not." He stood from his slightly hunched position and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Notify me as soon as you are finished."

"Yes, sir." Andree nodded to the director and headed toward the East Gate where a car was waiting to take her to meet Joshua Lyman.


	2. First Impressions

DISCLAIMER: Same as before, all non-West Wing characters are mine, and obviously the rest belongs to Sorkin.

NOTES: I want to take this time to remember John Spencer (12-20-1946 to 12-16-2005). Hollywood and The West Wing lost a great actor and friend to a heart attack recently. I'm sure he will be sorely missed by the cast and fans alike as well as his family. It's sad to think that the show will end without such a prominent presence, but it's comforting to think how much he contributed to the success of the series. Thank you John Spencer and God rest.

Here he was again.

Josh had been laying on the couch since CJ left. Though he was tired no sleep would come. Granted, he no longer had to say in bed; Josh found that one thing had not changed with the scenery: he was still bored. Tired of being bored and there wasn't much that could be done about it. Sure, there were the conference calls with other West Wing staff but they weren't about anything serious. There was a strict rule of little stress being enforced by the hospital doctors as well as stern warnings from Doctor Abbey Bartlet.

It seemed that the only thing Josh could do at the moment was lay there on the couch and brood. Donna had blocked out most of the news channels, like CNN and MSNBC. She had told him it was for his own good. Josh thought it didn't do him any good.

Turning on the TV, he began to flip through the channels trying to find anything of remote interest. Nothing looked to be very captivating and half of the channels were airing commercials.

"First thing I'm going to do when I get back is write a law banning commercials…" he grumbled, going past yet another TV ad.

The sleek black car pulled up next to the curb in front of a row of small houses and apartments. Opening the back door, Colonel McCallister stepped out onto the pavement. Looking up she skimmed the building numbers looking for the address that was written down in the file she held in her hand. After a moment her eyes fell on the door just off to her right. Andree shut the folder, turned, and walked to the passenger door of the car. Leaning down toward the open window she spoke to the driver.

"I should be ready in about two hours." The man nodded and drove away as McCallister made her way to the front stoop where her charge lived.

Andy walked up the steps, all the while thinking that she wasn't very far from her own apartment. Shrugging it off she stepped inside and proceeded to find the correct door. Once there she took a deep breath, smoothed down her uniform, and knocked on the heavy oak.

Josh looked over at his apartment door as a knock came from outside. Setting down the remote he slowly got off the couch and walked over to answer it. He was surprised to see a woman standing there in a Marine uniform and began to wonder what exactly was going on.

"Can I help you?" he stood there looking at her, his hand still on the door knob.

"Are you Joshua Lyman?" Andree made eye contact, trying to read the man's face.

"Who's asking?"

"I'm Lieutenant Colonel Andree McCallister, United States Marine Corps. I was sent here by Director Steven Sloan, a liaison to the Secret Service."

Josh just stood there in mild shock. She had been sent by a liaison, not the Secret Service, and she was a member of the military. He was confused.

"Sir," he blinked a few times, looking at her more clearly.

"Yeah?"

"Are you Joshua Lyman?" This guy was starting to bug her. There was a picture of Joshua Lyman in the file, but regulations forced her to ask the question regardless.

"Huh? Yeah, yeah that's me." Josh shook his head slightly, closing his eyes. Opening them again he saw she was still there. 'So this isn't a dream and I'm not hallucinating,' he thought to himself.

"May I come in, Mr. Lyman? I'd rather not continue this conversation in the hallway." Andy lowered her voice a bit and leaned forward. She never broke eye contact with Josh.

He jumped, finally remembering his manners, "Sure, please come in." Josh opened the door wider and stepped aside. He watched as the woman passed by him, and shut the door once she was inside.

McCallister eyed the room carefully as she set her things down in a chair near the door. The place was a bit untidy but that was to be expected from someone who has spent the last three months living every moment of their lives in the same apartment without leaving. Still taking in her surroundings, Andree turned slowly back toward Josh.

"I'm sure you're curious as to why I'm here," she began.

"The thought did cross my mind, yeah."

She shot him a look as if to say she wasn't here to mess around. "Yes." She took a short pause before continuing.

"Mr. Lyman, I have been assigned as your personal protection. My orders parallel those of any Secret Service agent's, but with some added details." Though she was warned about the health of her charge, Andree wasn't going to tip toe around the facts.

"Hold up. Personal protection? Like a body guard?" he had moved from near the door by this time and was now standing next to the couch. Her sudden announcement caught him by surprise and he nearly tripped backward over the arm.

"My position is not to be confused with that of a bouncer. I'm simply an added source of protection. Highly trained and specifically briefed for this assignment. May I?" Andy motioned toward a chair just behind her. Taking the hint that she wanted to sit, Josh quickly nodded and finally collapsed onto the couch behind him.

"What organization are you from?" she gave him a confused look, "I mean, I understand you're a member of the military, but who sent you on this assignment?" Josh was beginning to regain full control of his mind and was asking questions that had been forming in his mind since first seeing this woman at his door.

"As I told you before, I was sent by Director Steven Sloan, liaison between the military and the Secret Service. Sloan is in charge of a group of highly trained military personnel. Myself and seven others are members of a team known as Task Force Zero. Our missions are extremely sensitive and therefore require intense training and preparation, both mentally and physically. It is because of this that I haven't been assigned to you earlier." She let that information sink in, watching Josh's reaction.

"I'm still a bit in the dark here. Why exactly are you here? What's the reason for all the extra protection and why me? What about the President, the Vice President, even Leo McGarry? Are they getting the same attention?" All of these questions came pouring out of Josh's mouth.

"TF Zero was brought in due to the extra pressure placed on the administration following the incident at Rosslyn. And to answer your other questions, several members of the senior White House staff as well as the President and Vice President have all been assigned to a member of the team." Again she watched for his reaction. It was a lot of information for one person to digest.

"I see." He was calm; taking in everything he had just been told. "Why did they wait so long, again?" Josh's voice was quiet.

Andree's face softened slightly as she felt his emotions begin to stir. Sloan as well as Lyman's doctors had warned her of his weakened state of mind. Easing up, she slowly began to explain everything in detail.

"Both the Secret Service and Director Sloan felt it necessary to allow for a period of adjustment. Let the staff get back into a normal routine. They wanted things to calm down after the incident before bringing us in."

"It was a shooting," Josh's voice elevated somewhat, his eyes closed in quiet desperation. The sudden display caught McCallister off guard and she just stared.

"I'm sorry?"

"Please, stop calling what happened at Rosslyn an incident. It was a shooting, plain and simple. Two kids opened fire and tried killing the aide to the President. People were shot including me. So I'd appreciate it if you addressed what happened in Rosslyn as it was. A shooting. It was…a shooting." He stopped, breathing heavily. The outburst had taken a lot of energy out of him and Josh was suddenly feeling very tired.

Andy didn't know what to say. Her whole purpose there instantly seemed futile. This man was obviously still troubled by what had happened months ago. It was beginning to appear pointless, her task there today. Standing she moved toward the door and picked up the briefcase she had brought with her. She pulled out a piece of paper and walked back to the couch, setting it on the table in front of him.

"Here's a list of numbers you can contact me at. Feel free to contact me at any time. I'll call to arrange a meeting at another time." McCallister looked for any sign of acknowledgement from him and when she didn't get one, just stood and went back to the door. Before leaving, she spoke again.

"I apologize for laying all this information on you at once. It was imperative that you understand what was going on." She paused a moment, taking a breath. She was about to say something, then stopped. Looking at Josh, Andree decided to leave it at that. Opening the door she said a quick good-bye and left. Standing outside the door she tried to make sense of what had just happened.

Andree collected her thoughts for a moment before heading outside into the open air. The cool breeze was a welcome changed and helped calm her emotions. Josh Lyman was proving to be much different then what she had expected and quite frankly, Andy wasn't prepared for it.

Pulling out her cell phone she began dialing the number given to her by the driver. In a moment of decisiveness she closed the phone and tucked it back into her pocket. From what she could tell by the drive over here, the White House wasn't very far and well within walking distance. Wanting to clear her head more before reporting back to Sloan and the President, Andree crossed the street and headed in the direction of Pennsylvania Avenue.


	3. Old Flames

DISCLAIMER: Same as before, all non-West Wing characters are mine, and obviously the rest belongs to Sorkin.

NOTES: A little twist in the plot. Read the reviews and came up with some stuff I think you will all like. Stay tuned…

…

The front gate to the White House creaked open as Andree made her way through it, pass the guards, and up to the front entrance. Once inside the building she stopped just inside the lobby. Checking her reflection in the window, she straightened her uniform and smoothed her hair. In one swift motion she pulled out her identification card and slid it through the device just in front of her. Moments later she was walking through the halls of the West Wing heading for the Roosevelt Room where her team was slated to meet.

People were moving quickly all around her as she made her way to the meeting. Sidestepping an intern carrying a load of books, McCallister misjudged her angle and proceeded to back into another person. Andree was fortunate enough to catch her balance as well as that of the person she collided with. Or was that possibly the other way around? In any sense, she righted herself and picked up the briefcase that had fallen to the ground. At that same moment another hand reached for the case.

"I'm so sorry, I should have been looking where I was going. Things have been so crazy around here and I just…" the voice was quick and concise, but that ceased immediately the moment its owner realized who they were speaking to.

"Andy."

That voice, so full of disdain and loneliness. It belonged to a face she had seen earlier that day. A face that echoed the same feelings dripping from the undertones of that voice. McCallister looked up slowly and sighed. It was the very person she had been trying to avoid since her arrival in Washington D.C.

"Sam, surprise seeing you here." The words felt awkward coming out of her mouth. It wasn't a surprise that he was here. He worked here. The thing that ate away at her was the fact he had never mentioned it before.

"Can we talk?" the request was sudden and not at all what she was expecting. Andree simply nodded as Sam grabbed her arm, pulling her into the Communications bullpen. From there they wove between the workers before coming to a stop inside his office. He closed the door and turned to look at her.

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

"You wanted to talk. So here we are, in what I assume is your office. So talk. Make it quick though, I have a meeting with my team." She tossed the briefcase onto his desk and leaned against the edge. Her heart was pounding though she wouldn't let herself show it.

Sam took a moment to think, pacing the floor between the bookcase and the other end of the room. In the instant following his collision with the Colonel his instincts told him to act. Yet, now that he had her alone no words could form.

McCallister sensed this in him and stepped forward. She gently grabbed his hand as he walked by and turned him to face her. Catching his gaze, Andree moved her hand from his and up to his shoulder. Her other hand came to rest on the side of his face, as if to keep him from looking away.

"Sam, I realize you have questions. God knows, so do I. Please remember, though, what happened between us was short and intense and both of us know nothing more could have come from it." She saw his eyes flicker slightly.

"How do you really know that?" his voice was soft as he spoke. The emotions that had flared minutes ago began to subside.

"I just do," she whispered, "I have to go."

"When can we talk?"

"Meet me for breakfast tomorrow morning in the Mess. I've got some time after my briefing before I head to Mr. Lyman's residence. It won't be a lot of time but we can start sorting through this." With that she released him from the slight embrace and stepped back. She reached down and grabbed the briefcase yet again. In one fluid motion she shifted it to her other hand and again cupped his cheek. Sam opened his mouth to say something but closed it again and Andree pressed her thumb over his lips.

"Tomorrow."

Sam merely nodded. Andree leaned forward and kissed him softly on the cheek. He watched as she opened the door and walked out into the outer office, disappearing into the corridor. Time crept by as he stood there staring after her. His thoughts were interrupted when Ginger walked into the room.

"Excuse me, Sam. The President wishes to see the senior staff in the Oval Office in ten minutes." Sam acknowledged the request and thanked Ginger as he moved behind his desk, making it look as if he had been doing something before. Once his assistant had gone back to her work, he looked back at the door.

'Tomorrow.' He thought to himself. At least that gave him time for thought. Coherent thought at that. None of this spur of the moment stuff he had just done. After all, how else was he going to confront the woman that had stolen his heart and not given it back?


	4. A Long Day

DISCLAIMER: Same as before, all non-West Wing characters are mine, and obviously the rest belongs to Sorkin.

NOTES: And the plot thickens…

…

President Josiah Bartlet sat behind his desk reading through a stack of papers that had just been left there by Charlie. It wasn't anything of real importance, just the day to day paper work of the Oval Office. The President wasn't too keen on this aspect of office, but it had to be done. A welcome distraction came in the form of Mrs. Landingham as she popped her head in through the door.

"Mr. President?"

"Yes?" his eyes never moved from the desk.

"CJ Cregg, Sam Seaborn, and Toby Ziegler to see you, sir."

"Send them in." he emphasized the order by putting down his pen, taking off his glasses, and standing from the chair. A moment later three members of his senior staff walked into the room, all of them greeting the President.

"Before you all start bombarding me with questions, let me tell you something. This team is the most highly trained group of professionals in the military. They out do the Secret Service in a few fields I never even realized until half an hour ago. The NSC highly recommends this and I'm not one to argue with Nancy or Fitz when it comes to the protection of my friends and family. Now you can start asking questions." He crossed his arms and waited for the tirade to begin.

"With all due respect, sir, it's smothering!" CJ didn't take any time in voicing her opinion on the matter.

"My guy has this kind of funny twitch. I'm worried he's got chronic trigger finger and may end up shooting me instead of the bad guy." Toby was much calmer than CJ, but still held the forcefulness in his voice.

The two continued to fume, but it was a quiet Sam Seaborn that caught the President's attention. He was just standing there not saying a word. It also seemed like he hadn't been listening at all. Bartlet called out, stopping the onslaught of words from the other two.

"Sam."

His head snapped up, "Yes sir?"

"Would you care to participate in CJ and Toby's ratings?" he looked intently at the young man.

"I'm sorry, sir. I don't follow. Ratings?" the look of confusion on Sam's face was genuine. He had indeed not been following what was happening in the room. His thoughts were on the meeting between himself and Colonel McCallister.

"CJ and Toby were just enlightening me as to their displeasure with their new friends. Do you have anything you wish to add?"

"Add, sir?"

"Is there anything wrong with your new body guard?" he raised an eyebrow, slightly concerned as to why Sam was a bit out of it.

"No, sir. Nothing." The answer was half-hearted but good enough for the President.

"Alright, if there's nothing else," he began.

"But, sir," CJ butted in.

"If there's nothing else." Bartlet gave her a look as if to say there was precisely nothing else that needed to be dealt with.

Taking the hint, they all thanked the President and began filing out the door they came in. Sam hung back for a moment, watching them all leave. Just as Toby was walking into the outer office, Sam turned back to the President.

"Sir, about the military personnel. I…" he stopped and thought for a moment; "There's someone…" he stopped again.

"Yes?" the President looked at him, waiting.

"Nothing, sir. Thank you, Mr. President." Sam gave him a meek smile before exiting the Oval Office. President Bartlet stood there for a beat looking at the door they had all just left out of. He pondered Sam's behavior a moment before returning to the stack of papers on his desk.

…

Andree was the first to arrive in the Roosevelt Room for the meeting. Opening up her case, she pulled out some papers and a pen. She made sure everything that was needed was there before sitting down in one of the chairs. Leaning back, she rubbed her temple gently, closing her eyes.

"You can't be tired yet, the day's just started." The voice was accompanied by the opening and closing of a door. Andy opened one eye only to find Jarem standing over her, a goofy grin on his face.

"It may have just started but I wish it would end already." McCallister sat forward and rested her arms on the table. Jarem pulled out the chair next to her and sat down.

"Why don't you tell Uncle J all about it." He laid on a fake southern accent, leaning in close.

"Why don't you get back before you regret it." Andree gave him a sweet smile.

"Fair enough." He put his hands up in surrender and stood. At that time the rest of the team came into the room. They were all talking among themselves as they found their seats. McCallister used the opportunity to change the subject.

"How did your meeting with the President go?" she asked all the while taking a silent head count of those present.

"President Bartlet is a very understanding man. Of course, it made my job a bit easier with Sloan being there also. He had explained a lot of it to the President before we even got there." He reached out and grabbed an apple that was sitting in the middle of the table. Andree just shook her head. Jarem always looked for a short cut to get things done, but he was one hell of sailor and she would trust him with her life.

"What about you? Have a good field trip to Georgetown?" he took a large bite out of the apple.

"It could have gone better." She stopped at that as the last officer was seated.

"Alright everyone, lets get started." Andy looked at Jarem who just shrugged and sat back down. McCallister began the meeting. "J, you can go first."


	5. Every New Beginning

DISCLAIMER: Same as before, all non-West Wing characters are mine, and obviously the rest belongs to Sorkin.

NOTES: Thanks for the feedback, I really appreciate. Sorry for the delay on this chapter, but I hope you like it.

…

Sam wandered through the halls absent-mindedly, still in a daze after leaving the President's office. His mind was reeling after everything that had gone on that afternoon, and a bombardment of thoughts wouldn't cease. Andree had come out of no where, falling back into his life just as quickly as she had left it. How long had it been since that day on the Hill? Weeks? Maybe months. It felt like just yesterday…

…

Bright and early the next morning Sam was sitting at a corner table down in the Mess. An empty plate sat before him, scattered with crumbs. They were the remains of toast and eggs that he had ordered about thirty minutes ago. Now here he was, reading through the Sports section of the Wall Street Journal for the third time. He hardly noticed the arrival of another person at the table. It wasn't until Sam heard a voice that he looked up from the newspaper.

"Sam, I'm so sorry I'm late." Colonel McCallister slid into the chair opposite the speechwriter, glancing down at his abandoned plate, "My briefing went a little longer than expected." Her gaze shifted up to his eyes, which held no emotion. This scared Andree, as she fully expected to hear his objections.

"That's okay. I waited for you for months, what's a few more minutes?" the sarcasm flowing in his words chipped away at Andy's defenses. How was it that this man always seemed to know the right buttons to push?

"I've already tried to explain what happened to you on Capitol Hill. You obviously didn't hear me." She snapped back, more so to reinforce her convictions, if anything.

"It was just a front and you know it." Seaborn's voice was harsh but calm as he kept reading the paper.

"Sam, please, listen to me…" she started.

"No, you listen to me," he slammed the paper down on the table, knocking over the empty glass. Andree winced slightly at the sound of hard plastic hitting the floor, "I didn't deserve what you did to me, Andy. You left me standing there without any explanation as to why you were leaving. One phone call and then you were never to be heard from again. But here you are, all of a sudden."

"My career…" again, Andree tried to explain.

"I don't care about your career!" his voice rose slightly, but Sam saw the look in her eyes and stopped, "I didn't care about your career." He folded the newspaper and tucked it under his arm. Standing up, Sam pushed in the chair and turned to walk away. Before he did, though, he stopped. Looking back at her from the corner of his eye, Sam's voice was soft and quiet, "I cared about you." Without another word he walked out of the Mess, leaving Andree there to think about what had just happened.

A few minutes passed and McCallister hadn't moved. Her eyes were fixated on the door in which Sam had just left. The line of sight was impeded when a man stepped in front of her. Andy shook her head to see the same man pass by. Realizing the time, she stood and fumbling with the chair, managed to push it in to the table before leaving.

…

Again, Andree was walking up the front stoop of the apartment building where Josh Lyman lived. She was hoping beyond hope that this meeting would go better than the one from the day prior. More so because this was her first official day of duty and she'd be spending a lot more than a few minutes with the man. Standing on the top step she found the correct apartment number and rang the buzzer. A few moments passed before Josh's voice came over the speaker.

"Yeah?"

"Mr. Lyman, its Colonel McCallister." She waited a beat and pushed open the door once granted access. With a steady pace she walked up the stairs and made her way to the apartment door. Andy was let in with a quick response to her knock.

Opening the door she saw that the living room was a bit tidier than the day before and even the attached kitchen was clean. When she entered, Josh was no where to be seen, but the noise coming from the bedroom told her where he was. She set her stuff down on a kitchen chair and walked back into the living room. Andree was looking out the window when he came into the room.

"Sorry about that." Josh walked into the kitchen and grabbed a pitcher of juice out of the refrigerator. "Would you like anything to drink?" he looked up at her, reaching for the glasses in a nearby cabinet.

"Water will be fine, thank you." She watched as he filled each glass. His mood seemed to be better. There was only one way to test that assumption.

"I'd like to discuss our schedule for the next week." Andy took the glass, all the while never taking her eyes from Josh's face, trying to read his emotions.

"Schedule?" Josh sat down and took a sip of his orange juice.

"Yes," McCallister took the seat across from him, feeling a little more comfortable now that Josh seemed more accepting of the situation, "My duty officially starts today, which means I'll be tailing you almost everywhere you go." She added in, "During the day, that is. There will be Secret Service detailed to your apartment at night."

A silence fell between them as Josh took in the information. He had realized last night after she left that his outburst was a result of being under pressure. This woman was there under orders, not of her own free will. There had been no need to be short. Josh had thought over what the Colonel had told him and decided to have a more open mind now.

"Alright." Josh took a breath and leaned back, "Well, for one, I'll be here for the next week. The doc said I could return to work on Monday." He folded his hands in his lap, a small grin spread across his face at the thought of returning to the White House.

"Okay, that's a start." Andy smiled as she stood. Walking over to the chair where she had left everything earlier, she pulled at a pad of paper and a pen. Sitting back down, McCallister settled in and wrote a few things on the lined paper. When she looked up she was surprised to see Josh staring at her. Andy was taken back by how dark his eyes were. They pierced her own, going down to her very core. Blinking a few times, she looked back down at the paper then back up. He was looking passed her and out the window now.

"Seeing as how we'll more than likely be here the rest of the week, let's start with next Monday." Scribbling on the paper, Andree listened as he re-iterated his schedule to her. She glanced up from time to time, trying to read his emotions, searching for any kind of signs to give her a hint as to his physical and mental state. It would be key in how she handled the way in which she would initiate her mission.


	6. Back to Work

DISCLAIMER: Same as before, all non-West Wing characters are mine, and obviously the rest belongs to Sorkin.

NOTES: Short chapter this time. Been busy lately but hopefully I'll get back to writing on a more regular basis. Enjoy this for now, albeit choppy.

…

Monday morning 

The clock on the desk ticked away quietly in the early morning hours. Sam watched as the second hand began another trip around the face of the small mechanical device. He had been sitting in his office since five in the morning. Sleep wouldn't come and Sam spent the night thinking about his conversation with Andree in the mess. The words he spoke echoed in Sam's mind.

Sitting there now and trying to work, Sam was unable to concentrate as he found himself reading and re-reading the same sentence over and over again. The paper fell slowly to the desk, landing lightly on top of a file folder. Seaborn ran the palm of his hand across his face. Standing from the desk, he walked out into the deserted bullpen. A couple of interns walked by the closed door and moments later Ginger walked into the office area.

"Morning Ginger." Sam muttered as he walked by her into the corridor. She returned the greeting and went to get things set up for the day's work. The amount of activity in the halls was slowly beginning to increase as staffers began showing up for work. Sam wove his way among the people, not going anywhere in particular. Without realizing how, he soon found himself standing in the lobby. A voice carrying through the air caught his attention. He turned to see Andree standing there, her expression blank as she walked passed the guard at the door. Yet, the voice wasn't hers, it belonged to…

"Josh." He smiled at the sight of his friend. The Deputy Chief of Staff had a wide grin on his face as he walked across the lobby and took Sam into a quick hug.

"Colonel." Sam just nodded toward Andree, his face was passive.

"Good morning, Mr. Seaborn." Andree kept a professional attitude toward the speechwriter.

"How are you feeling?" Sam asked Josh as they went back into the depths of the West Wing. Andree followed closely behind.

"A little groggy. If it weren't for the fact I was tired of being cooped up, I would have stayed home." Josh spoke to Sam as he nodded to others who were welcoming him back.

"Well, it's good to have you back." His voice was sincere. The trio stopped just outside the communications bullpen and Sam stepped just inside the doorway. "I'll see you at senior staff." He spoke to Josh, though his eyes wandered over to where Andree waited behind him.

"Yeah. I'll be in my office till then." Josh was completely oblivious to Sam's shifting concentration.

"Okay."

"See you later." Sam watched the two walk down the hall. Just as Josh disappeared around the corner, Andree stopped and glanced back at him. She quickly looked away and continued down the corridor. A call from Ginger brought Seaborn into the office and back to work.

…

Josh led the way to his office, stopping every few feet as yet more people welcomed him back to work. He let out a sigh of relief as he walked through the door of his office. McCallister was close on his heels and glanced around as Josh closed the door behind her. She turned and arched an eyebrow at the man, a confused look on her face.

"What?" he asked, in regards to the stare he was receiving. "You saw the hoards of people out there. I'm pumped about being back at work, but I can only stand so much from the welcome wagon."

"I see." Andy paused, than began to speak again, "Shall we get started then?"

Josh took a deep breath as he sat down. A moment passed before he reached over and pulled open a drawer, taking out a three-ring binder. Flipping open the cover, he turned it around and moved it closer toward the Colonel.

"There's a tentative schedule for the day. Count on it changing within the hour." He watched Andree for a reaction but got none.

"Very well. We'll just have to play it by ear. Lucky for you, I happen to be very good at that." She gave him a matter-of-fact look.

Josh felt intrigued at this information and just merely nodded his head. Rotating the binder back around to face him, Josh glanced at the first item on the list. Just as he did that, Donna knocked on her door and let herself in.


End file.
